


small packages

by xlissas



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura Lives, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Shiro (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shiro (Voltron)-centric, Shiro is single and still bffs w keef, Single dad Keith, but everything else is largely the same?, canon-verse, s8 happened but also not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 07:19:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18405815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xlissas/pseuds/xlissas
Summary: Keith has been on extended mission with the Blades, and Shiro misses his best friend. But Keith comes home with a little surprise.





	small packages

**Author's Note:**

> I’m posting this at 2am on a whim and I just love my boys ok and wanted to see if this was worth continuing when I’m not drowning at uni ENJOY

> 3:05am

>> coming back to earth early 

>> should be another quintant or so 

 

A middle-of-the-night text from Keith was never anything out of the ordinary, given he’s usually galaxies away and time is a funny, wibbly-wobbly sort of thing. Shiro usually doesn’t see them until he’s well on his way out the door, but tonight is a little different. 

 

The message is simple, but it serves as his saving grace. The little ping from his datapad is enough to ground him, bring him back to reality, and he reaches for the device like a lifeline. He knows that if he responds immediately, Keith will know something is wrong. Shiro knows that Keith will worry, like he always has. He knows this implicitly, but his mind is already running in so many circles and screaming so many things at him at once that he moves on impulse. 

 

He types out a hasty message with shaking, clammy fingers before clinging to the device like its his anchor. And maybe, knowing Keith is on the other end, it is. 

 

>3:08am 

>>Did something happen? 

 

It’s several minutes of attempting to breathe and carding sweaty and metal fingers through his forelock if just for something else to do before his datapad pings again. 

 

>3:24am 

>>no, just done early

>>what time is it there

 

There’s no use lying to him. There never is, even light-years away and behind a screen, Keith is still attuned to Shiro’s every need and it’s yet another thing in his life he has never been able to quite wrap his head around. 

 

>3:26am 

>>About 3:30. Minor nightmare. I’m ok. 

 

About twenty minutes later, his datapad rings, and maybe Shiro just doesn’t want to feel so alone, maybe he just missed Keith, or maybe his impulse control is just currently that low, but he answers. 

 

The way Keith’s dark brows immediately pinch tell Shiro that he’s probably looked better. He knows he’s sweaty all over, even though he feels so, so cold, and his hair probably needs some smoothing down. He’s probably pale and those stubborn circles under his eyes are probably standing out. 

 

Had he been in a better state of mind, maybe Shiro would have ignored the call and pretended to be asleep. But even then, there isn’t a lot that will make Shiro say no to Keith. 

 

“Are you okay?” 

 

Keith’s violet eyes are soft around the edges with concern and something Shiro has never been able to name. He feels something lodge itself in his throat, so he just shakes his head. 

 

His eyes drift to the scar on Keith’s cheek, and Shiro remembers too clearly how it got there. They never talked about it, and Shiro could never quite gather the words to apologize even as it continued to haunt him in his dreams. He wants to talk about what Keith said because in his dreams all he hears is static. Screams. Keith’s screams. He knows words are said, but he can’t read lips and the static is too loud. 

 

“Shiro? Shiro, hey, look at me.” 

 

His voice is quiet, soft and soothing, and of course Shiro is compelled to do just as he’s told. But it’s never a demand, never from Keith, only impossibly gentle coaxing that Shiro is free to comply with or refuse. 

 

When Shiro does look, Keith smiles. Shiro’s lips twist upwards on reflex, and he instantly feels calmed. The images of the cloning facility finally melt away, and all he can see is Keith. 

 

Beautiful, wonderful Keith.  

 

He doesn’t ask what the nightmare was about or even asks if Shiro wants to talk about it. Shiro wouldn’t anyway, even if his mouth and voice would work properly, but he quietly appreciates Keith’s efforts nonetheless. 

 

Keith tells him about his latest mission with the Blades — nothing out of the ordinary, Keith says, just continuing rebuilding efforts on former Galra colonies and outposts. But the people of the most recent planet Keith visited had been one of Zarkon’s first conquests and therefore needed a lot of restructuring on both an infrastructure and political scale. The mission had kept Keith away from Earth for the last year and a half — and Keith explains while there is still a lot more work to be done, the planet seems to be self-sufficient for now. He speaks fondly of the people he’s met there, and even relays a few funny anecdotes that at the very least elicit quiet huffs of laughter from Shiro. Even though it’s meager and all Shiro can manage, it makes Keith smile. 

 

That alone is enough of a distraction to make Shiro feel grounded. Safe. 

 

“Feeling better?” Keith asks after a long minute of silence. Shiro nods, still not quite trusting his voice. “Good. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow, okay?” 

 

Shiro nods again and gives Keith a small wave. 

 

“Goodnight, Shiro.”

—-

 

Every time he steps out on the tarmac, Shiro still feels the pull toward the stars. But the Atlas has mostly been grounded, with Voltron gone and other, more efficient ships available. Since the end of the war two years ago, there just hasn’t been a need for a giant warship that could take out entire Galra fleets. 

 

As much as Shiro missed piloting her, he hopes there’s no real need for her any time soon. He just wishes he didn’t have to remain grounded with her. 

 

When he spots Keith, he’s speaking with Iverson with a notably larger space wolf dutifully at his side. It reminds him of when they had returned to a war-torn Earth. Before the fight with Honerva, before their reality as they knew it had nearly collapsed. 

 

Before they almost lost everything. 

 

Shiro barely opens his mouth in greeting before Keith is turning towards him. 

 

“Shiro!” 

 

Shiro can’t stop the smile that spreads across his face — even if he’d wanted to. 

 

As he makes his way over to Keith,  Shiro already starts to feel lighter. Warmer. It’s an effect Keith has had on him since well before he was even aware of it, and now that he is, Keith draws him in like a moth to a flame. 

 

“Hey, Keith. Good to have you back.” 

 

Keith smiles, and Shiro’s heart swells. “Good to be back.” 

 

It’s easy, the way they clasp hands and meet in the middle for a hug, and it’s familiar, the way Keith ever so slightly buries his nose into Shiro’s shoulder. It’s something Shiro’s missed, something he craves when he wakes in a panic, or even just when he’s feeling a little lonely. 

 

Hugging Keith has always felt like coming home. 

 

They part ways too soon for Shiro’s taste, but he keeps their hands interlocked for a half second longer than what is really necessary. If Keith notices, he says nothing. He only offers an easy, soft smile. 

 

Keith’s attention is only diverted when they both hear a soft, “Pop!” And his eyes light up in a way Shiro has never seen them before. Keith’s smile splits wide as he reaches for the small, purple bundle of giggles in Krolia’s arms. 

 

“She acts like she didn’t spend the whole way here in your lap,” Krolia says as she gives the toddler over to her son. There’s a note of fondness in her voice that Shiro has only ever heard directed towards Keith. He looks between Keith and the toddler in question, and his head immediately feels like it’s swimming. 

 

Who is this kid? She’s adorable, but who is she? Why is she with Keith? Did she just call him  _ Pop?  _

 

“I’m not complaining,” Keith says, and it’s then that Krolia turns and gives Shiro a knowing smile that gives his stomach a confused lurch. 

 

“Hello, Shiro.” 

 

“Krolia. Ma’am. You look well.” 

 

“You as well.” She then turns back to Keith. “I’ll see you back at our quarters tonight.” She gives Keith a light peck to the side of his head, then one to the toddler in his arms. “Both of you, behave.” 

 

“Yes, ma’am,” Keith says the same time the small alien in his arms babbles something unintelligible. 

 

Once Krolia is gone, Keith turns to Shiro with an almost sheepish smile on his face. Shiro has so many things he wants to ask, but he knows Keith, so he knows that he will answer those questions in time. As for the toddler, she’s quiet against Keith, her little head resting on his shoulder as he absently pats her back. 

 

Shiro’s always wanted his family, and the sight makes his heart ache. 

 

“Shiro,” Keith says after a beat, apprehensive. “This is Kala. My daughter.” 

 

“D—“ 

 

“I adopted her,” Keith explains quickly, “Someone literally just. Left her our doorstep, we don’t know where she came from or how… She was just a baby, what else was I supposed to do?” 

 

Shiro can see Keith begin to bristle, and he holds the toddler—Kala—closer, and she looks up at Shiro from Keith’s shoulder with wide, sapphire eyes. The tension melts from Shiro’s body. He’s surprised, of course, but he doesn’t blame Keith. 

 

He would have done the same. He tells Keith as much, and the smaller man also relaxes. 

 

“I think it’s great,” Shiro says, and it’s the truth. “Just surprised me, is all.” 

 

“You wouldn’t be the first to think I’m not cut out for kids—“ 

 

“No—! No. It’s more of…” 

 

He didn’t think Keith was straight? But he could be bi, too—? Keith never mentioned it...or Kala. In fact… 

 

“Why did you never mention...her?” 

 

Keith answers has he’s stroking Kala’s hair. “Never found the right time,” he says. “And...I wasn’t sure how you’d react. I know I should’ve just told you sooner, I just didn’t want you to think…” 

 

There’s something loaded in Keith’s gaze, and Shiro’s heart rate picks up. Shiro swallows thickly as he waits for Keith to gather his thoughts. 

 

Keith covers Kala’s large, furry ears as he mumbles, “I guess I didn’t want you to think I was just screwin’ around, or something.” 

 

That almost catches him by surprise as much as Kala herself did. “It wouldn’t be my business either way, Keith.” 

 

Keith turns to Kala then, ever the picture of fatherly adoration, and the toddler gently rubs her nose into his cheek. Keith smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. 

 

“Right.” 


End file.
